Mining for nickel, a key component in electric vehicle batteries, is fueling environmental degradation in Indonesia and leading to more planet-warming emissions, according to a new report.
The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre found that many of those harms are linked to the world’s biggest automakers.
The report expands on a broader investigation the international NGO published last year on nickel supply chains in the Philippines and Indonesia. It also follows up on a series of related investigations from watchdog groups Mighty Earth and Climate Rights International.
The Centre found that forests that serve as important carbon sinks are being cleared to make way for mining, adding to greenhouse gas emissions. More emissions are created via the coal plants used to power Chinese-financed nickel processing facilities at Indonesian industrial parks, according to the report.
